Jeremy Renner says that he sometimes had a monthly food budget of $10 and lived off of instant ramen before making it big in Hollywood
- Jeremy Renner told Men's Health that pre-fame, he lived on a tight budget in a studio apartment.
- The Marvel star said that while living there, he sometimes had a monthly food budget of $10.
Marvel star Jeremy Renner said that pre-fame, he sometimes had a monthly food budget of $10 and ate instant ramen.
"I had no electricity, no gas, no hot water," Renner told Men's Health of living in a studio apartment in Hollywood for five-and-a-half years before his acting career took off. "So I learned to play guitar. I lit candles. I made a vibe out of it"
The actor said that he made the most of his living situation because "if I sat and cried about it, which I probably did once or twice, it doesn't really move the needle. Changing and shifting your perspective — that's the only thing we have control of in perpetuity."
Renner's interviewer, Alex Bhattacharji, wrote in his cover story that "at times, Renner says, his entire monthly food budget was $10. He'd live on a case of Top Ramen and maybe treat himself when McDonald's had its two-burgers-for-25-cents special."
"I always thought, At least I'm doing a job that I love," the star said. "I'm glad I'm not doing a job just for a paycheck. That'd be fucking miserable. And most people are."
Renner's first-ever professional acting role was in the 1995 movie "Senior Trip," in which he played a slacker.
He went on to appear on shows like "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and "Angel." Renner also portrayed real-life serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer in the 2002 movie "Dahmer."
But it was his role as Staff Sergeant William James in 2008's "The Hurt Locker" that changed his career trajectory.
Renner earned an Oscar nomination and a SAG Award nomination for the part. His role in Ben Affleck's 2010 film "The Town" further added to his growing popularity, and he landed additional Academy Award and SAG nominations, plus a Golden Globe nod.
Renner made his Marvel debut as Clint Barton/Hawkeye in 2011's "Thor."
He reprised the role for "The Avengers," "Avengers: Age of Ultron," "Captain America: Civil War," and "Avengers: Endgame."
Renner will return as the archer for the upcoming standalone Disney+ series "Hawkeye," which debuts on the streamer on Wednesday.